Convertible chair for infants



Feb. 5, 1957 R. VALENTE 2,780,276

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR FOR INFANTS Filed April s, 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R 1NVEN TOR.

RALPH VAL ENTE.

Afro/en/E/ Feb. 5, 1957 Filed April 9, 1956 R. VALENTE CONVERTIBLE CHAIRFOR INFANTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RALPH VALENTE.

United I States Patent O `The invention pertainsto a chair including ahorizontal frame and a seatsupporte'd thereon, the seat being adapted tobe raised above the level'of the frame to allow ra child to be seated ata dining table at a proper elevationwith respect thereto.

The object of the invention istoprovide a chair in which the operativeelements for the purpose of raising said seat are normally concealedwithin the frame so that the chair has the appearance .of an ordinarychair till the seat has been raised.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chair in which theseat, when raised, will stay in place without any danger of its collapseunder the weight of ra child. Another object of the invention is toprovide a chair which may be quickly and easily set up for use of achild and which may be as quickly and easily lowered to its normalposition. l

l shall now describe my improvement with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in'which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the framework of the chair `upon whichthe seat ofthe chair is to be mounted;V

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the seat-raising vmechanism mounted onsaid framework;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the chair with a seat in its raisedposition;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the chair with the seat in itsloweredbut partlyl forwardly-protruding position;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view'of the chair;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 showsV a detail of construction of one of the elements of thechair. l A

.Similar numeralsrefer. to similar parts throughout the several views.

The framework of the chair 10, as shown in Fig. l, is composed of fourelements. These include 'a back-rest 11, two tubular members attached tothe back-rest and extending downwardly therefrom, each including ahorizontal portion 12, and a downwardly-extending leg y13. Two otherlegs are provided by the fourth element,

` namely, a tubular member bent upon itself in a broad hairpin turn andincluding two parallel portions 15 disposed horizontally and connectedby a transverse member 15a, one of said portions being in abutment withone portion 12, the other portion 15 being in a parallel abutment withanother portion 12. On each side of the frame, the respective portions12 and 15 are connected to each other by bolts 16.

It is these horizontally-disposed'tubular members 12V rifice Pivotallyconnected to the webs 18, by means of pins 22 which project from thewebs inwardly, are two props generally identied by numeral 23. Each ofthe props is made of metal, specically, of heavy-gauge sheet stock, andhas the form of an oblong rectangular plate 2,4 which at each end isturned rearwardly at right angle to the plate 24 to'form a flange 25.`As shown in Fig. 2, it is the lower portions of the flanges `25 whichare so secured to webs 18. One of said props is located close to thefront ends of the rails, in a cross-wise relation thereto, while theother prop is connected to said rails in parallel relation to thefirst-named prop but to the rear thereof. A part .of each of the plates24vis cut out at the top so ,as to providea' recess 26. The latter isdefined by 'a horizontal bottomY line and two parallel sides extendingvtherefrom to thetop of the plate. Supported by the props is a horizontalbar 28 which at one end is connected to one prop by means of a hinge `27vand which at the other end is connected by a similar hinge to the otherprop.

The seat, which is marked 30 and which normally rests on the horizontalportions 12 and 15 of the framework of the chair, carries on itsunderside a channel member 31 extending from the rear of the seat to thefront end thereof, the member being fastened to the seat by means ofscrews 32.

The bar 28 described above lits into said channel member 31 in aparallel relation thereto so that the seat, with said channel member,may be shifted longitudinally upon said bar forwardly or rearwardly. Theopopsed rims 33 of the channel member are bent inwardly to preventdisengagement of the bar from said channel member. Y

Hooked to the front prop, as shown at 34, are a pair of coil springs 35which extend from said prop rearwardly and are secured to the rear endof the channel member, as shown at 36, the object of the connectionbeing to cause said springs to pull the seat, with the channel member,forwardly over said bar28.

Associated with the rear prop, on each side thereof, is alongitudinally-slotted link 37 which at one end is pivotally connectedto the upper portion of the respective flange 25, while the front end ofthe link extends to the p pin 22 on one side of the front prop for alocking engagement therewith .by means of a bayonet slot 38.

To conclude the description ofthe above mechanism, I wish to add thatthe channel member 3,1 is provided at its front end with adownwardly-extending tongue 40.

y The manner in which the seat of the chair may be raised to an elevatedposition is as follows: v

Normally the seat 30 rests on portions 12 and 15 of the framework of thechair. This is shown in Fig. 4, except that the seat does not extendbeyond the front part of the frame, as the tongue 39 depending from thechannel member bears against the front member 15a of the frame Vand willprevent movement of the seat forwardly of said member 15a.

In order to raise the seat, it is trst necessary to push the chair aslight distance rearwardly to disengage the tongue from member 15a. Oncontinuation of said push rearwardly, the two props 23 which arenormally disposed in a horizontal position will be swung up by saidseat, upwardly from said pins 22, till said props have been brought tovertical positions, as shown in Fig. 2. At this stage the bayonet slots38 in the links 37 will engage the pins 22 within the front portions ofthe respective rails and lock the rear prop against return to itsnormally-horizontal position. Thus, the seat will be held in an elevatedposition above said'tubular members 12. If it is desired to lower theseat to its normal position, the linksV are pushed upwardly at the endswhich are provided with the bayonet slots to disengage said links fromthe pins 22 at the junction with the front prop, whereupon the seat maybe swung down on said props forwardly till it has encountered themembers 12. This position is shown in Fig. 4.

As the front part of the .seat projects to beyond the front .member a ofthe frame, the seat may be pushed rearwardly against the Vtension of`the tsprings v35 :to ,p ermit -t'he tongue -to be :thrust .intoengagement with .said member 15a from `the .rear to cause lthe tongue tobear against said memberforwardly.

AIt will `be understood that structural details `of the inventivecombination shown by me may be modied without departing from the.inventive idea disclosed herein.

Whatl, therefore, wish to claimis as follows:

l. A chair including ahorizontally-disposed :frame in- Y -cl-uding twoparallel side .members and a transverselyadisposed front member, twooblong sheet metal propsfeach being pivotally connected at 'its ends tothe opposed sides of the frame transversely thereto, said props being ina parallel, `spaced relation to each other, a horizontal bar mounted onsaid props and hinged to each, the bar extending from the Ifront memberof the frame rearwardly, a channel member mounted upon the bar for asliding longitudinal movement thereon, `a seat mounted on the channelmember, coil spring means at one end attached to one of the props andconnectedV at the other end to `the rear end of the channel member topull the seat forwardly, a tongue at the front end of the channel memberadapted to be engaged with the front member of the frame to keep theseat in a normally retracted position against the tension of said springmeans, the props being adapted to be swung up from the pivotalconnections to bring the seat to a level above that of the frame,andlink means associated with the props andthe frame, 'but disconnectableat one end, to hold the props inthe upswung position.

2. A chair including a horizontally-disposed frame including twoparallel side members and 'a transverselydisposed front member, a pairof parallel props disposed transversely to the side members of the frameand pivotally lconnected thereto, one of the props being located closeto the front member of the frame, the other being spaced rearwardlytherefrom, the props being disposed normally in substantially-horizontallpositions but being adapted to be swung up from their pivotalconnection to vertical positions, link means lassociated with the propsand the frame, but disconnectable at one end, `to hold the props in theupswung pos-itions, a horizontal bar connected by hinges to the top ofeach prop, an oblong channel member seated lupon the bar for alongitudinal sliding vmovement thereon, Va seat mounted 'on saidVchannel member, `coiled spring means attached at one end to the front-prop and connected at the other end to the rear end of the channelmember, the springs serving to move 4 the seat, with the channel member,forwardly, and a tongue at the front of the seat for engagement with thefront member of the frame to keep the seat in a rearwardly-retractedposition.

3. A chair including a horizontally-disposed frame including two sidemembers and a transversely-disposed front member, a transverse proppivotally connected at each end to the side members of the frame closeto said front member but vincluding a top portion adapted to be raisedon the upward swing from the pivotal connections to a level aboveLthatofthe frame, a similar prop disposed parallel to the vfirst-.namedprop .rearwardly therefrom, an oblong bar in a hinged connection withthe top portion of each prop, a channel member mounted upon the bar fora sliding movement thereon, 'a seat mounted on the channel member,spring means anchored to the front prop and urging the seat forwardly,and means at the front of the seat forengagement with the frontmember ofthe l'frame to keep the seat Ain a retracted position against thetension 'of lthe spring means, tlie'props, with the seat, being adaptedto be swungfforwardly from their pivotal connections Vto verticalpositions, and link means associated with the frame and the props butdisconnectable at one end to hold the Yprops in ltheir verticalpositions.

4. A chair including a horizontal frame including two side members :forsupport of 'a seat, a pair of elongated prop means having side elementspivotally connected vto the side members of the frame, the props beingtransversely `disposed with respect to the side members and in aparallel, `spaced relation to veach other, an oblong bar disposedtransversely over the props and hinged at the top portion of each, the`bar being normally disposed at the level of 'the frame vbut beingadapted 'to be swung upwardly on said props to a level 'above that oftheframe, a channel member seated upon the bar for a longitudinal slidingmovement thereon, a seat mounted on said channel member, coiled springmeans attached 'at one vend to the front -prop and connected at theother 'end to the rear end of the channel member, the springs serving tomove the seat, with the channel member, forwardly, and a tongue at thefront of the seat for engagement with the front member lof the frame tokeep the seat in a rearwardly-retracted position. Y

References lCited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS891,762 Case June 23, 1908 2,292,618 Davis Aug. ll, 17942 2,646,106Terry July 21, 1'953 2,729,274 Boschetti let al. Jan. 3, 1956

